[Vespasian]

Contracts cannot override the law (I can't sell myself into slavery even if I sign a contract saying so).

Courts are there to decide how the law applies to a given situation when the parties do not agree.

A judge makes a decision and that decision is in accordance with written law, precedence and legal tradition.

If necessary it supersedes the intention of the original authors of the contract and the parties can appeal to a higher court.

The law itself is pretty much what the government says it is.